June 10, 2020

10 Signs You're Really From Montgomery County, MD

A local's tongue-in-cheek list of the habits, sayings, and quirks that give away a true Montgomery County, Maryland resident.

Every place has its own unwritten rulebook, the little habits and inside jokes that mark you as a local rather than a visitor. Montgomery County is no exception. After a lifetime living here and years selling homes across the area, I’ve noticed the same quirks pop up again and again in conversations with clients, neighbors, and friends. So I put together a light, tongue-in-cheek list of the tells that give away a true Montgomery County resident. Some of these will make you laugh, some might hit a little too close to home, and all of them are part of what makes this such a fun, distinctive place to put down roots. If you’ve lived here more than a minute, I’d bet you check at least half these boxes.

You’ve collected more speed camera tickets than baseball cards

Montgomery County takes its speed cameras seriously, and if you’ve been driving here for any length of time, chances are you’ve got a small stack of citations to show for it. Locals joke about knowing exactly which stretches of Georgia Avenue or Rockville Pike to slow down for, because the county’s automated enforcement program (you can read more about how it works onmontgomerycountymd.gov) doesn’t miss much. It’s become such a shared experience that residents swap camera locations the way other people trade recipes.

Your kids learned the crab mallet before the fork and knife

Living this close to the Chesapeake Bay means steamed crabs aren’t a special occasion, they’re a summer staple. Plenty of Montgomery County families teach their kids how to crack a claw with a mallet before they’ve mastered proper table manners, and honestly, that’s the right order of priorities around here. A newspaper-covered table, a bucket of Old Bay-dusted crabs, and a mallet in each hand is about as Maryland as it gets.

Your “outlet mall” sells suits that cost more than a used car

Somewhere along the way, the definition of “outlet” shopping around here quietly upgraded itself. Montgomery County has retail options where you can find designer suits running well into the thousands, which is a funny contradiction for a word that’s supposed to mean discount. It says a lot about the county’s mix of everyday neighborhoods and serious buying power.

You say North Potomac but everyone knows the real story

There’s a friendly local sport in stretching the truth about your neighborhood’s zip code. Say you’re from North Potomac, and the locals know you probably mean Gaithersburg. Claim North Bethesda, and it’s likely Rockville. It’s a harmless bit of hometown pride dressing, and if you’ve ever caught yourself doing it, welcome to the club.

Your trunk is a graveyard of reusable bags you keep forgetting to bring inside

Montgomery County was ahead of the curve when it came to charging a small fee for disposable bags at checkout, and the result is a county full of drivers with trunks stuffed with canvas totes they swear they’ll remember to grab next time. If you’ve ever run back out to the car mid-grocery-run just to dodge that nickel charge, you’re definitely one of us.

You call it “MoCo” and you say it like it’s obvious

Nothing marks a local faster than casually dropping “MoCo” into conversation instead of saying Montgomery County. It’s shorthand, it’s a little bit of local slang pride, and if you use it without thinking twice, you’ve clearly been here a while.

Your high school parking lot looked like a luxury dealership

Take a drive past any high school around here during dismissal and you’ll notice something: an awful lot of nice cars in the student lot. It’s a reflection of the county’s overall prosperity, and it’s become something of a running joke among longtime residents who remember when a used hand-me-down car felt like the norm everywhere else.

Old Bay goes on everything, including your wings and fries

Old Bay seasoning isn’t just for seafood in this part of the world, it’s a pantry staple that finds its way onto chicken wings, french fries, popcorn, you name it. If your spice rack has a well-worn yellow can within arm’s reach at all times, that’s a dead giveaway of Maryland roots.

You’ve searched for a school “that starts with a W”

Montgomery County Public Schools has a whole cluster of well-regarded schools whose names happen to start with the same letter, and locals navigating the system know exactly what that shorthand means. If you’ve ever found yourself explaining to someone new that you’re trying to get zoned for “the one that starts with a W,” you’ve officially been through the MCPS enrollment maze.

You correct people who assume you’re from Baltimore

Ask someone from Montgomery County where they’re from, and you’ll often hear a quick, polite correction if the guess comes back Baltimore. This is Washingtonian territory, close enough to DC to feel the pull of the capital region, and locals take a bit of pride in making that distinction clear.

All kidding aside, these quirks are part of what makes Montgomery County such a great place to call home. The traditions, the local slang, the shared inside jokes, they’re signs of a community with real identity and roots. If you’re thinking about making this county your home too, I’d love to help you get oriented. Check out myMontgomery County relocation guidefor a real look at the neighborhoods and lifestyle here, or read more aboutwhy clients choose to work with mewhen buying or selling in this market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Montgomery County nicknamed “MoCo”?

It’s simply local shorthand that residents use casually in everyday conversation, and hearing someone use it naturally is often a sign they’ve lived here a while.

Are Montgomery County’s speed cameras really that common?

Yes, the county runs an active automated speed enforcement program in many residential and school zones, so it pays to know the posted limits on familiar routes.

Why does Maryland put Old Bay on so many foods?

Old Bay is a regional seasoning staple tied to the area’s seafood culture, and locals have expanded its use well beyond crabs to wings, fries, and other everyday dishes.

Is Montgomery County considered part of the Washington DC area or Baltimore?

Montgomery County is firmly part of the Washington DC metro region, and most longtime residents identify as Washingtonian rather than associating with Baltimore.

Montgomery County has a personality all its own, quirks included, and that’s exactly why so many families end up staying for good. If you’re curious about buying or selling here, or just want to talk through what life in this county is really like, I’m always happy to chat.Reach out anytimewith questions.

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